1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrode pads, and more particularly to a see-through package for storing an electrode pad of a medical device such as an automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillator (AED). In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the package is see-through so that one can view the electrode pad, or instructions printed on the pad, before opening the package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
AEDs have saved many lives in non-hospital settings, and, as a result of advances in AED technology, the number of lives saved per year is rising. Typically, an AED analyzes a patient""s heart rhythm and instructs an operator to administer an electrical shock to the patient if appropriate. For example, a shock can often revive a patient who is experiencing ventricular fibrillation (VF). Because older models of AEDs include only basic diagnostic and safety features, they are often difficult to operate. Therefore, only specially trained persons such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) can use these older models to administer shocks to a patient. Newer models, however, often include advanced diagnostic and safety features that allow minimally trained persons to administer shocks to patients. Consequently, more people are using AEDs to save lives.
Because a heart rhythm that responds to an electrical shock can cause permanent damage or death within a short time if left untreated, an AED operator should be able to set up and use an AED to shock a patient within seconds after the operator arrives at the scene. Statistically, for each minute that a person is in cardiac arrest and is not receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), his/her chance of survival decreases by 10%. And in most cases, there is no chance for resuscitation after 10 minutes. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to administer CPR. And, even in the best of circumstances, it can take a few minutes to retrieve the AED and a few additional minutes for the AED to diagnose and shock the patient. Therefore, even if the patient is discovered immediately, the operator often has little time to remove the defibrillator electrode pads from their package, attach the pads to the patient, connect the pads to the AED, and activate the AED without further decreasing the patient""s chance of survival. Clearly, the faster the operator can set up and activate the AED, the better the chances that the patient will survive.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system 10, which includes a package 12 and two defibrillator electrode pads 14a and 14b (shown in phantom line) stored within an interior 16 of the package 12. Electrode-pad leads 18a and 18b, which electrically connect the electrode pads 14a and 14b to an AED (not shown in FIG. 1), extend from a sealed opening 20 in the package 12, although the leads 18a and 18b may be stored entirely within the package 12.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and rear views, respectively, of the electrode pad 14a of FIG. 1, it being understood that the front and rear views of the electrode pad 14b are similar.
Referring to FIG. 2A, the front of the defibrillator electrode pad 14a is typically nonconductive to insulate the AED operator (not shown in FIG. 2A) from defibrillation shocks, and typically has instructions that indicate where to attach the electrode pad 14a to the patient (not shown). For example, the front of the electrode pad 14a has an instruction picture 22a, which illustrates the proper locations 24a and 24b for attachment of the two electrode pads 14a and 14b on a patient (not shown in FIG. 2A or 2B). A dashed-line circle 26a and a bold arrow 28a indicate that the location 24a is the appropriate location for attaching the electrode pad 14a to the patient. Similarly, the front of the pad 14b (not shown in FIG. 2A) has a similar picture 22b with a dashed-line circle 26b around and an arrow 28b pointing to the location 24b, which is the appropriate location for attaching the electrode pad 14b to the patient. Indicating which electrode pad 14a and 14b is attached at which location 24a and 24b reduces operator confusion, and thus decreases the time it takes the operator to attach the electrode pads to the patient. The pictures 22a and 22b and accompanying written instructions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,598, to Bishay et al., which is incorporated by reference.
Referring to FIG. 2B, the rear of the defibrillator electrode pad 14a includes a conductive layer 30a, which is typically coated with a contact gel 32a. The gel 32a provides electrical conduction between the patient and the conductive layer 30a and helps adhere the electrode pad 14a to the patient.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2B, the package 12 is typically formed from an opaque material that provides a moisture barrier sufficient to maintain the viability of the defibrillator electrode pads 14a and 14b for a predetermined period or longer. Typically, the electrode pads 14a and 14b are viable only while the contact gels 32a and 32b (not shown) maintain respective moisture levels that are at or above a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the manufacturer specifies that the package 12 will limit moisture loss from the package interior 16 to a rate sufficient for maintaining adequate moisture in the gels 32a and 32b for a predetermined period such as one year. Many of the best materials for providing such a moisture barrier, and thus for composing the package 12, are opaque.
Unfortunately, referring to FIGS. 1-2B, an opaque package 12 often increases the time it takes an operator (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) to attach the defibrillator electrode pads 14a and 14b to the patient (not shown), and thus often increases the time it takes the operator to set up the AED (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) and shock the patient. The operator looks at the circles 26a and 26b (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) to determine which electrode pad goes where. But because the package 12 is opaque, the operator cannot look at the circles 26a and 26b until after he/she removes the electrode pads 14a and 14b from the package. This increases the time it takes for the operator to determine which electrode pad goes where, and thus increases the time it takes for the operator to attach the electrode pads 14a and 14b to the patient. Furthermore, different electrode pads 14a and 14b are often recommended for different patients. For example, adult electrode pads 14a and 14b are recommended for adults, and pediatric electrode pads are recommended for children. Even though the pad type may be labeled on the outside of the package 12, the operator may overlook this label in his/her haste to rescue the patient and not consider the type of the electrode pads 14a and 14b until after opening the package. Therefore, if the electrode pads 14a and 14b are inappropriate for the patient, then the operator must retrieve and open at least one more set of electrode pads, thus increasing the time it takes the operator to attach the appropriate electrode pads to the patient. In addition, because electrode pads that are removed from a package should be discarded whether or not they are used, pads that are removed from package and are then found to be inappropriate for the patient typically go unused, and are thus wasted.
Consequently, there is a need for a package that maintains the viability of electrode pads such as defibrillator electrode pads and yet facilitates an operator""s understanding of the pad type and of which pad goes where.
A package is provided for storing one or more electrode pads. The package includes an interior for storing the electrode pad or pads and a window that provides a view into the interior.
Because it has a window, the package often reduces the time it takes for an operator to attach one or more electrode pads to a patient. For example, such a see-through package often saves precious seconds by allowing the operator to view the instructions on a defibrillator electrode pad or pads, and thus determine which electrode pad goes where, before opening the package. Such a package may also save time by allowing the operator to determine the pad type, and thus to determine whether the electrode pad or pads are appropriate for the patient, before opening the package. In this latter case, the package may also prevent the operator from unnecessarily opening, and thus wasting, a package containing one or more electrode pads that are inappropriate for the patient.